Two new mills to be installed in Nzoia Sugar Company to boost production
KENYA – Speaking on behalf of the Kenyan Government, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula said the government will install a new and modern mill at Nzoia Sugar factory in the next two weeks as part of measures to revive the ailing miller.
The two mills, according to Wetang’ula, will stabilize the operations of the sugar factory and improve its crushing capacity.
The 3000 tons of cane per day crushing capacity (TCD) factory has five mills, of which four are functional. Three are driven by steam and one is driven by an electric motor, with each having four rollers driven by steam.
“As leaders from the County, we met President William Ruto, who promised that the factory will have a new crushing mill. I want to announce that the deal has been sealed and the machine will be installed soon,” Wetangula said.
“Soon you’re going to see the Nzoia Sugar factory resume its crushing activities and meet its capacity for the benefit of farmers and employees.”
The company intends to enhance the factory capacity to 7000 TCD and 735 tons of Sugar per day from 315 tons of sugar per day.
Wetang’ula said that the revival of Nzoia Sugar Factory was part of the development projects that the President has committed to initiate across Western to spur economic growth of the region.
Recently, the Agriculture Departmental Committee members led by Vice Chairperson Yegon Brighton plan to push for the allocation of Sh500M (US$3.76m) to bolster the operations of the ailing sugar miller, instead of privatizing it.
They argued that the privatization of Nzoia Sugar Mill will further create a private monopoly and end up exploiting farmers.
The Government is the major shareholder owning 98% of the shares, while Fives Cail and IDB Capital own the remaining 2%.
The company has an extensive nucleus cane estate covering 3,600 ha, which provides 20 percent of the company’s requirements for raw materials, and an out-grower zone spanning more than 23,500 ha under cane.
Nzioa Sugar Company appoints new acting MD
In a transformational course, Nzoia Sugar Company has appointed Certified public accountant (CPA) Ezron Kotut as the new acting managing director.
Kotut takes over from Dr Chrispine Omondi, who has been in an acting capacity from 1st September 2021 to 1st May 2023.
“I’m very happy because the firm has now hired a substantive managing director, who has a vast experience in the sugar sector. I believe he will steer Nzoia to greater levels,” Chair of the Board of the Company, Alfred Khang’ati, noted.
According to Khang’ati, the new acting MD has a vast work experience of over 25 years, 13 of which he worked in the sugar industry in a senior management position.
He further pointed out that the company has invested 280 million in an out-of-crop maintenance program conducted recently, which has improved factory efficiency.
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